What are some good reasons to NOT end your own life?
What are some good reasons to NOT end your own life?
What are some good reasons to NOT end your own life?
I want to outlive this shitty marriage I'm stuck in, sort out my finances, and take back my own life. I'm sick of being called a fucking cunt or accused of hiding money or all the shit he's saying to me, none of which is true. He's a malignant narcissist and I'm so tired of living like this.
You can always end it later, so stick around a little longer and see how things play out.
Weaponized procrastination, I like it
Everything ends and everything changes.
Might as well see what will come your way.
This is my philosophy too. If you're gonna do it then there's no harm in doing something fun first, and if it's still bad tomorrow you can finish it then. Having suicide as an option always on the table is a bit freeing, honestly. Momento mori and all that.
This is my excuse. I can die any day I want, but I can't play the new warframe update after I die so I'll just put that off.
And if you wait long enough it'll end anyway.
Spite
Food tastes good
Sunsets are awesome
Some people are worth being around
You might mess up the attempt and end up worse off than you are now
Religion might be right and you end up in the bad place
Religion might be right and you end up in the bad place
With modern life being as it is, we would be screwed either way in most religions. Everyone is probably breaking at least a couple of dozen rules in every religion.
Even if you just need to follow a central "be kind"-rule - how kind is it to buy stuff on Amazon, packed and delivered by wage slaves, which was imported from China (which may include child or slave labour) [or some US states for that matter] while also hurting the environment in the process.
There is no ethical consumption under capitalism. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.
this is what your enemies would like to see. don't have enemies? make some
And make sure you're alive long enough to spit on their graves.
Don't do the Nazis' job for them.
My partner and dog would be sad.
I don't have nearly enough credit card debt to annoy the cc companies when I die
Yeah, the biggest 3 links to meaning are our social connections. Children, partner, and pets. Close family/cherished friend can replace one of the three.
I'm not going to pretend it's a good answer because it cuts in many directions, but the following has been my thinking on this:
Because if you have nothing to live for, you have nothing holding you back from taking massive risks. Take the massive risk over your own life. Suicide can come later, once you've done something risky and cool first that requires a meatsuit. As far as we know you only get one of those, and there's far more than you might think that only requires one of 'em and infinite risk tolerance.
Not comfortable with the risk? Why, if you have nothing to live for? Tease that out and you can work in the other direction.
Oh so I should rob a bank first?
🙃
Rob a bank, stowaway on a container ship, free climb a mountain or skyscraper, take out a bunch of loans and spend it on whatever, scam a bunch of dangerous people, the sky's the limit. I'd actually say think bigger.
spite
Life is the only thing a human is guaranteed to have - and, as far as I’m concerned, we only get it once. To finish it early seems a terrible waste. It’s the only thing we’ll ever get to do. Might as well give it a bit of a go… it’s not like it goes on for ever, anyway.
Life is experienced only by those who live it. The thing that keeps me not going through with it, is literally FOMO. As much as life is filled with things that suck, and things that I hate, I know there is the very real possibility that something new will come along that I will have regretted not getting to experience.
When I remember the things that I have experienced since the time I tried to kill myself I'm high school, I am glad I didn't. I would've regretted not making the new friends I did, and meeting the love of my life, and all of the the great times I've had, even though the shitty times that drove me to the edge, still persisted.
When I remember the things that I have experienced since the time I tried to kill myself in college, I am glad I didn't. I would've seriously regretted missing out on the freedom of independent living, and the parties with friends, and precious memories I've made in that time.
When I remembered the time I tried to kill myself after loosing my 3rd job in a row, and hanging on the edge of poverty for just one too many times, I'm glad I didn't. I would of seriously regretted missing out on buying my first house, and never getting to meet my baby girls.
When I think now, that life is shit, and not worth continuing, I remember those past times and know that it was impossible to know what could've been ahead of me, and how glad I am I stuck around to find out. So I keep on struggling through, because I know that there's bound to be some unkown thing, at some unknown time, that I will definitely want to be around to see.
Losing someone to suicide sucks. I'm willing to bet there is at least one person in your life who would be sad (or perhaps devastated) if you suddenly died. Even if it means continuing on while unhappy, don't put that person through such an ordeal.
Depression is a temporary condition. It feels like it'll last forever and that life can never go back to the way it was, but that's not true. It might change you, and that change might be for the worse, but you can escape it. You can. It's hard, but it'll be worth once you're on the other side.
Start by seeking professional help. There are affordable (and, depending on your area, perhaps free) options out there. Then, change how your mind thinks. Don't let those thoughts rule you. Fight them! You can do it!
The fact that you immediately jumped to depression seems like you didn't even think about the question.
There is literally no reason to live, we've made that all up. That's not depression, that's reality. Pushing fundamental questions into a pathological corner is condescending.
Call me crazy, but typically when someone asks for reasons to not kill themselves, depression is involved. Maybe OP was just starting conversation, but given the question and the increasing rate of people struggling with depression, I thought I'd offer my thoughts. I don't believe this answer was condescending.
If you take your own life, things will never get better. It's not going to be all sunshine and rainbows if you don't, but it can get better. Ending your life removes all possibility of any good thing ever happening. But you'll never find out if you're not here to see it.
It's a dark take to have, but it's just not worth it to cut the wire here. It can be hard, and things may seem bleak, but as long as you're still here, there's still a chance for life to get better, it often does, and it's a chance worth fighting for.
It's easy to be caught in the here and now, but you can't predict the future even if it feels like it. Take the time you've been given and use it. All ending your life will do is end the chance for better things.
The other thing is it's not a release. Religion or not, whatever your beliefs, there's no sudden wave of freedom, or drop of stress. Overwhelmingly reports of someone who attempted or was brought back end with them regretting it or not wanting to give up at the last second.
Life is precious, not because it's good or because there's some holy significance to it, but because you only get to do it once. You can fall in love again, find friends again, join communities, see the sun, help the world, help your neighbors, play video games, whatever. You can always do those again.
But you only get to live this life one time. Fill out that story until you run out of pages. Don't leave the book half finished. If you're alive, there's hope.
Spite, that's what your enemy's want. Don't give them the fucking satisfaction!
My apartment will fine me if I don't bring the trash cans back inside before 9PM, so I gotta be alive for that.
I'm glad I don't live in your complex!
If you die there is no chance at things getting better in your life here.
If you are alive even if that chance is small there is a chance at things getting better.
It generates a ton of paperwork
I can think of two reasons.
First reason: because things can and probably will get much better. Joy in life comes from the little things. That sounds cliche but it's true. If I could talk to my 14 year old self, who was severely depressed to the point of trying (and thankfully failing) to take his own life, I would tell him about the next 20-ish years. Even though much of it will be hard, it will still be good. And he will grow in ways and get to experience things that he can't even begin to imagine. That's one thing I'm glad he failed at.
Second reason: because believe it or not, you will leave a giant crater in the life of someone (or multiple someones) where you once existed. My great grandpa hung himself in 1929. That's all I know about him aside from his name. I never met my grandpa (died of cancer) but I remember my dad telling me a little about the impact it had on his dad, who was about 15 at the time of his father suicide. Long story short, my grandpa basically stopped growing emotionally at 15. He was a teenager who was very suddenly thrust into the role of an adult.
I don't know what was going on with my great grandpa that led him to take his own life. I do know that what he left behind was a disaster. Including three generations of trauma, manifesting itself as a cycle of physical, verbal, and emotional abuse. He effectively destroyed his children who proceeded to pass that destruction all the way down to me.
If you've never watched Ted Lasso which I highly recommend, one of overarching themes is Ted's difficulty dealing with his father's suicide, which occured when Ted was 15. It's a light hearted show overall but there are a few scenes that really hit right in the feels.
Even if you don't have kids, there are people who's lives will be permanently altered for the worse by your untimely death. Some will blame themselves, wondering what they could have done to prevent it.
I actually do support the idea that we have a right to end our lives on our own terms.
But, I would say to anyone asking this question that there is so much good left undone in the world that they could make happen.
If you can, don’t end your life. Donate it.
Good things can't happen anymore. You might also say that bad things can't happen either, but if it's over then there's no opportunity at all. Life can change as long as it's there.
Because I want to outlive my enemies.
I get to pet dog
A lot of life is about perspective. I have a checklist, of things that make life worth it for me. They're gonna vary from person to person, obviously, but when I get super depressed, I go through my checklist in my head. I have cats that depend on me and I value their wellbeing. I have relationships with people I care about and want to see. (and kids I want to see grow up) There's still things I want to learn, places I want to see, and things I want to do. Small things, too, like wanting to see the end of a show or enjoy a favorite food. Life has it's hardships, but it also has a lot of things we get to enjoy - and I want to be strong enough to live through the hardships to enjoy the good things. Idk man it all probably sounds kind of cheesy, but watching the sunset brings me a lot of joy. Life doesn't have to be perfect to be worth living.
Because we need you to help make world a better place to live.
Plus you'll miss cat videos.
You can't piss off the haters if you're dead.
I can tell you with absolute certainty that when it’s no longer a choice, you’ll want to be alive.
So don’t try to sudoku yaself. You would likely severely regret the decision as your life is ending.
Life can be really hard at times, but it can also be really good at times. Time is fleeting. Life is the good and the bad. Without the bad times, you wouldn’t be able to feel how good the good times are.
Whatever you’re going through, take care of yourself during this time, and you’ll come out okay.
My pets depend on me and I love them.
My mother would be truly devestated, and I don't trust people to take care of my cat the way I want.
Do a jihad but instead of it being for something stupid, like religion, do it for a good cause. Like polar bears. Or owls. Or the poor.
I have bad aim, both in video games and outside of video games...
Who said anything about guns, or even violence?
“Jihad” means “struggle.” Mohammed once said the most difficult jihad was the one against ourselves, e.g. the struggle to be better people.
So a jihad for polar bears could mean throwing yourself into activism for the environment.
Id rather die for something bigger than me and my mental anguish if im gonna knowingly off myself.
Ive lived through too much shit to make the weakness of the day take me out.
But I'll go when I wanna go too. But it'll be me saying "my time here is done" not in pain but acceptance and peace. Not despair.
Can't let that shit win.
R. Buckminster Fuller asked that same question as he contemplated throwing himself into Lake Michigan. He was broke, in debt, jobless with a wife and small family.
The only thing he REALLY had was life insurance, which made him worth more dead than alive.
His experience is worth reading:
tl;dr - He made a wager with himself that there was some larger purpose to his life. He went on to hold 28 patents and became the inventor of the Geodesic Dome. Bucky Balls are named after him.
If you fail you'll live an infinitely worse life that isn't worth risking. And if you're going to make a rash decision then make one less rash like changing your entire name or applying to new jobs (amazon hires anyone) or dropping out of college
There are great cultural goods to be experienced. Also creating stuff feels good.
5meoDMT. Do it first then decide.
I honestly wouldn’t even know where to start with accessing DMT. I’m not OP and I’m not suicidal but I mean, where would I even start?
In my country it can be found via search engine pretty easily. Just search it with your country name, maybe search on reddit if you're struggling .
it's gonna happen anyway without even trying, and in the meantime I can do a whole bunch of interesting drugs.
Simple: death will come, it is a guarantee you get by being born. So, unless your life is hell (diseases can do that easily, including mental ones) and it clearly won't end (or anyway not before you become broken beyond repair), why not see some life before it ends
Life ist the only dramedy about you you'll ever have, so might as well experience that and with a little bit of Yolo attitude!
The MOMENT you do, inevitably the world will start getting better.
I would advocate for tuning out of reality over suicide. Move to the middle of nowhere, cut off internet, spend your days chilling and farming. You always have the option of reinterpretation after stuff improves.
I agree, the moment i'd commit suicide the world would be better (without me in it) /s
I think my baseline for existence would be continuous pain and immobility so as long as I'm doing better than that I'm in the + column for remaining alive and embodied. I can walk, read, eat and drink, fuck, work, hear, see (kind of), touch things, listen to music, dance... Not gonna be able to do any of that without a body. So in the selfish way, I want to be alive to enjoy all that, it's well worth the pain of existence to me.
In the unselfish way, I know the difference between losing an old relative to old age, and a younger relative to suicide. The former doesn't hurt, you know they got a good run, can celebrate their life. The latter can really shatter the lives of everyone close to you, in a way that causes grief so lasting and physically and emotionally damaging. I wouldn't do that to anyone.
Just about every single attempt to self-terminate stems from a systemic flaw or imbalance in the fragile human form. Pretty much always treatable. What seems logical now might seem silly later. Don't let irrational mentality run your life or your death.
Also, there are people who oppose you. Fuck those people. Your life ending would benefit them, therefor you can never die.
Rage.
Baked goods
I think Albert Camus' Myth of Sisyphus addresses this somehow.
Somewhat, it seems reasonable for one to throw their life away if they come to the conclusion that it has no meaning or purpose yet they are constrained by human nature to search for it.
Camus argues that we should revolt against this and embrace life regardless of how meaningless it is, he uses Sisyphus as a comparison to the absurdity of all this, pushing the boulder up the hill and watching it fall back down again is the only life, a meaningless one, that Sisyphus knows yet he is still able to find purpose in it and revolt against the gods.
EDIT: I realise I've essentially paraphrased the Wikipedia article, so apologies
Camus is great, and the Myth of Sisyphus is definitely worth a read especially for those with existential despair but I don't think it's a panacea for the causes of suicide unfortunately.
My best friend ended his life nearly tw o years ago. I am still mournig and feel like I will never get over it. I cry at least once a week.
That next great show is only like 5 years away
Who is going to change the smoke alarm battery?
With the right attitude, you can find someone who will end it for you.
Too depressed to become a revolutionary 😓
I just want to lose my virginity... lmao. And then next best thing would be to have an actual relationship with someone instead of the abusive one I have with my alone time hand.
To look out at the ocean, hear the waves and birds, walk barefoot on the grass, run naked in the rain, climb the mountain, unite with nature.
There are so many ways to be a hero for those around you. Why end your life when you could dedicate your life to help those in need? When you feel at your lowest, remember that there is someone, right now, who wants to know and believe in you and who hopes that you could do your very best to help them and others.
This is intended to be motivating. Instead of leaving a hole in the world, you could become a role model for others.
The one that kept me alive was that I couldn't make the world better for others, even in a small near-insignificant way, if I were dead. And it would be a bit pointless to die if everyone else is still going to live a life of suffering, especially as I can't be sure reincarnation isn't true.
Because even when life throws you lemons you can still taste.
there might be some media that'll come out that you're super into. Or like, you might see a friendly dog outside
A good cup of coffee.
Ammo is expensive and I can have more fun drinking and get the same result later down the road anyway